Council Date: 23 April 2012

Cabinet Member Presentations

Report of the Leader of the Council Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment Report of the Cabinet Member for Community Engagement Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing Report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Enterprise & Planning I am pleased to inform everyone that Cllr Bottwood is now doing well having received hospital treatment following his heart attack last month. I am sure all members will join me in wishing him a full and speedy recovery and a quick return to the Guildhall.

On 26th March we announced that the Borough Council is working with Local Government Shared Services (LGSS), the organisation set up to share services between Northamptonshire County Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, to explore the potential of joining the partnership. LGSS was set up more than a year ago to provide a wide range of support services for both local authorities. Since the establishment of LGSS, the two founding authorities have saved £11 million and to join the partnership could pave the way for savings for Northampton Borough Council in administration and other back office costs. The Borough Council is at an early stage in negotiations with LGSS and no decision has yet been made over which services could be included in any sharing agreement. LGSS provides a full range of back-office services, including IT, HR, finance, property and asset management and other services.

The Northampton Alive Roadshow meetings have started with members of the Cabinet and myself going out and speaking to the public at a series of public meetings. The meetings map out how the major regeneration projects of the town fit together to attract investment, jobs and economic growth, and cover key projects like the Grosvenor/Greyfriars development, Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone, Castle Station, St John’s and Avon Nunn Mills.

On Tuesday 13th March the Guildhall was privileged to host a meeting of the Business Innovation and Skills Select Committee. This was a real vote of confidence from the Government in the work we are doing here in Northampton to attract investment, improve skills, create jobs and improve our local economy. I was pleased to attend the celebration on 21st March at Alliston Gardens Community Centre to mark the transfer of fifteen community centres to eight different community organisations. Improved relations between this authority and community groups has facilitated this transfer, which will in turn help to secure and improve these facilities for the future.

Both the Skateboard Park at Midsummer Meadow, and the proposed University student accommodation at St Johns received planning consent on 3rd April, and construction will begin on both projects in the near future.

On 23rd March TS Laforey was formally awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Northampton. This was undoubtedly a proud day for them, but it was also a pleasure for this Council to be able to recognise their positive contribution and dedication to the town.

The Town and County Big Jubilee Picnic will take place from 12 noon to 6pm on Sunday 3rd June. The vintage-themed event will celebrate the foods, fashions and music of the Queen's 60-year reign, with the emphasis firmly on fun.

The 2012 Olympic Torch will be passing through our town on the morning of 2nd July. This is a fantastic once in a lifetime event that I hope all members of the council will attend with the public to show their support and enjoy the occasion. The Flame will start its journey through the town from Weedon Road near Gambrel Road. It will be carried into the town centre via Bridge Street, Drapery, through the Market Square, Abington Street, past the Guildhall, down Guildhall Road, on to Victoria Promenade and through Becket's Park.

To mark the 200th Anniversary of the death of Spencer Perceval, The Mayor will be laying a wreath at the statue in a short ceremony at The Guildhall at 5.15pm on 11th May 2012.

Northampton Youth Forum has been running a campaign to tackle hate crime since last summer, and have been awarded the Northamptonshire County Council and the Children and Young People's Partnership award for "Outstanding Contribution to Anti-Bullying Work", and has also recently been nominated for a National Diversity Award.

I would like to give my congratulations to everyone who received Heart of the Community Awards this year. These awards give us the opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of residents who are working hard for their communities, and represent the best of our town.

**Community Safety**

The priorities and action plan for the Community Safety Partnership 2012/13 have been agreed. Key priorities for 2012/13 are Violent Crime, Serious Acquisitive Crime, Anti-Social Behaviour & Domestic Abuse. Priority location work to tackle serious acquisitive crime and help victims of burglary in hot spot locations continues. The main focus areas are Standens Barn, Bellinge, Spencer, Kings Heath, Kingsley/Phippsville, Abington The Mounts.

Leaflets have been distributed to raise awareness of Designated Public Places Order (DPPO) in five Eastern/Central European languages to raise awareness of the Order.

A further awareness event to support the ‘Killing with Kindness’ campaign took place on the Market Square on 13th April to help raise awareness around street begging.

A further two sessions of Domestic Abuse training for front line staff has been undertaken. A total of eight sessions have been run in Northampton this year with a total of 176 staff from NBC, NCC, Northants Police and NHS receiving the training.

An Easter ‘E’ message has been circulated to all students providing crime prevention advice and personal safety information in partnership with the University of Northampton.

Our Town Centre car parks have again been recognised with the Park Mark® Safer Parking Award. The award has been renewed at 11 Northampton Borough Council car parks and shows the council is working hard to deliver safer parking. This, along with free parking and reduced parking charges in the Town Centre, is part of a wider plan to encourage shoppers into Northampton.

An awareness raising campaign to tackle issues of vehicle crime began in April 2012, focussing on theft from vehicles and vehicle security.

**Junior Wardens**

Another four schools have signed up to join the junior community wardens scheme being championed by Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire Police. Pupils from Greenoaks Primary, Sunnyside Primary, Vernon Terrace Primary and Woodvale Primary will be trained over the next few months to become junior community wardens and take an active role in the community. The group of 131 children are following in the footsteps of pupils from four other schools who have successfully completed the ten-week course and graduated as junior community wardens. Legal Services

The department has maintained its LEXCEL quality accreditation and achieved a 100% pass of its core requirement. The external inspector has also noted a number of areas of good practice within the service following a three-day inspection. LEXCEL is administered by the Law Society for England & Wales and is sought by many private Practice firms.

Litigation

Since 15th February 2012 the department has prosecuted or taken the following court action:

- £350 fine plus £400 costs for cigarette dropping
- Two Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Orders
- Health and Safety cases resulting in £5,000 fine to a Director and £10,000 fine to a Company.
- Two ASBOs for two years each, restricting the subject from entering a certain area in Duston and from causing harassment, alarm or distress to any person in the Borough of Northampton
- Unauthorised subletting £475 costs
- Five year ASBO to restrict entering an area and being found drinking in the street

Benefit Fraud

- Twelve month Conditional Discharge - £400 costs
- 60 hours unpaid work - £100 costs
- (s112 SSAA 1992) 80 hours Community Work and £100 costs

Commercial and Corporate

Since the last report six Right to Buy sales have been completed, three TPOs have been confirmed and eight properties have been disposed of. The Stagecoach Agreement has also been completed in connection with the Greyfriars Bus Station.

Councillor David Mackintosh Leader of the Council Environmental Services

During the month of February, over 188 tonnes of food waste were collected. Once the service has had time to bed in, figures for participation levels and tonnages collected can be more accurately assessed.

Environmental Health

Campaign posters and lamppost stickers have been going up across the town as the council’s Neighbourhood Wardens start a three-month crackdown on dog owners who do not clear up after their pets. Verbal warnings, written warnings and Fixed Penalty Notices of £80, which if not paid could lead to a fine of up to £1,000, will be handed out to those spotted not clearing up their dog’s mess. Patrols will take place in known hotspots, initially offering advice to dog walkers on the correct disposal of dog waste, to then be followed up by targeted enforcement. The campaign will also appeal to the public to report incidents and problem areas to the council so that action can be taken.

Licensing

- A driver induction course was held on 19th March and was attended by twenty applicants.
- Multi agency checks on vehicles were undertaken on 15th and 16th February and 15th and 22nd March.
- The Prince of Wales public house has withdrawn its magistrate’s court appeal in relation to its license revocation.
- The Taxi Age Limit consultation has now closed and the findings have been analysed. Final reports are being prepared to go before the Licensing Committee in early May.
- Licensing Committee informed of Governments intention to introduce changes to Licensing Act within the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill on April 6th (although not confirmed).
- The review and restructure of Licensing has now been completed.

Carbon Management

Around 40 representatives of small and medium sized businesses from in and around Northampton, attended an Energy Efficiency Breakfast on 1st March. This event, run in conjunction with the Carbon Trust provided straightforward advice and useful energy saving tips to help businesses reduce their carbon footprint and save money. Air Quality Management Areas

Air quality in Northampton is improving with four areas of the town where traffic pollution had exceeded target levels now well within acceptable limits. On 18th April the Air Quality Management Area (AQMAs) status of Barrack Road, Park Avenue North, A45 (Riverside) and Lumbertubs Way was considered by Cabinet.

The AQMAs were established after target levels for nitrogen dioxide, associated with traffic emissions, were exceeded. Our monitoring and assessment work has confirmed that traffic emissions and pollution levels in these four areas are now within acceptable limits. We intend to build on this and are currently developing an action plan outlining the steps we will be taking to further improve air quality in these parts of the Borough.

Councillor John Caswell Cabinet Member for the Environment Events

The 2012 Olympic Torch route was announced on the 19th March and identifies the route moving from the west of the town, through the town centre and leaving in the east via Becketts Park. The Council will be contacting and meeting with businesses and partners affected by the route.

The Council has organised meetings with school coordinators and is working with Northamptonshire County Council to ensure as many local school children as possible are able to watch this once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Torch relay is one of a number of significant events being planned for the town centre and our parks and open spaces this summer. Other national events coming to the town include Godiva Awakes, Lion Heart and Games Time, as well as regional and local events like Race 4 Life, Music Festival, Diwali, Olympic Sports and the Jubilee Party and others. We want Northampton to be the venue of choice for people to visit this summer.

The Town and County Big Jubilee Picnic will be Northampton's main Jubilee event and will take place from 12noon to 6pm on Sunday 3rd June and will begin with a short outdoor service at All Saints' Church followed by a procession to Delapre Park and Abbey. The vintage-themed event will celebrate Her majesty's reign with the foods, fashions and music of the last sixty years, and people are invited to bring along their own Jubilee or vintage-themed picnics, or to visit the Jubilee pub and food court while they enjoy six hours of fun and entertainment. The Big Jubilee Picnic has been organised by Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council, and will be hosted by HM Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, Lady Juliet Townsend LVO. The event will also be supported by a number of local partners and businesses.

The Jubilee Street Parties pack has been launched, offering advice & guidance for anyone wishing to hold their own street party. The deadline for applications is the 4th May.

Culture & Heritage

Arts Council England have confirmed £119,100 of transition funding for 2012-13. The money will be used to provide additional activity around the Cultural Olympiad ‘World at your feet’ exhibition and other business improvement initiatives. Museum

The newly refurbished Museum and Art Gallery is on target to be officially launched on 12th April, with preview tours between 4th and 11th April.

Neighbourhood Working

The current Junior Wardens programme has now concluded. The “graduation ceremony” will take place on 18th April and a new programme will start after Easter.

Joint working with the Police and Sheltered Housing has resulted in a new Sector office being established in South-West Sector at Spencer Haven following the closure of Gladstone Road.

A major public event was held in the Guildhall on 11th April to celebrate the achievements of Change of Scene participants.

Community Centres

A celebration took place to mark the transfer of 15 community centres to eight different community organisations on 21st March. The event at Alliston Gardens Community Centre saw around 40 members of management groups gathered to mark this new beginning.

The centres and their new management groups are:

- Community Spaces Northampton is managing Bellinge, Briar Hill, Kingsthorpe, Rectory Farm, Southfields, Standens Barn and Vernon Terrace community centres.
- Alliston Gardens and Semilong community centres are being managed by Alliston Gardens Youth and Community Centre.
- St James community centre is being managed by the Doddridge Centre.
- Spencer Dallington centre is being managed by Deafconnect.
- Camp Hill centre is being managed by its established management committee.
- Kings Heath centre is being managed by the Need to Know Centre Northampton.
- Abington community centre is being managed by its established management committee.
- Pastures centre is being managed by its established management committee.

Customer Services

Annual Billing for Council Tax in March is traditionally the busiest time for Customer Services staff and this years performance in relation to call handling and visitors was exceptional due to effective resource allocation and proactive planning. The Customer Services and Council Tax Teams worked seamlessly together to support customers effectively through this very busy period. Community Governance Review

The borough wide Community Governance Review (CGR) has continued through March with various community information events, including:

- Central Area Board briefing
- Community briefings at Lings Forum, the Guildhall and in the Grosvenor Centre
- Forum briefings at LGBTQ, Diverse Communities, Pensioners and Youth
- CGR briefing at Parklands Residents Association
- CGR consultation at Wootton & East Hunsbury Parish Council

Seven CGR petitions have been set up by Councillors, which are available on the Borough Council website. The deadline for petitions is 27th April 2012, and hundreds of signatures have already been received and validated against the electoral register. After the consultation has ended any proposals will be subject to a referendum and consideration by Full Council and implemented at the local elections in May 2013.

Partnership Fund

23 local charities and community groups have been given a total of £550,000 through our Partnership Fund to help them continue their positive work in our town’s communities. At this time it is more important than ever that the Borough Council supports these organisations to make our town a better place.

Northampton Leisure Trust

The Sport Relief Mile took place at Becketts Park on Sunday 25th March with over twenty Northampton Leisure Trust volunteers assisting on the day. The event was well attended with around 1,300 people taking part.

Membership sales are continuing to do well and are currently 5% up against the same time in 2011. Trilogy memberships are at an all time record high of 6796, along with swimming lesson enrolments which are at 2033.

After 3.5 years the ‘Eastfield and Spencer Sport and Physical Activity Project’ funded by Sport England and a range of partners finished in February 2012. The Project has exceeded all targets set by Sport England.

The Big Lottery funded ‘Northampton Improved Places for Play’ programme finished at the end of March 2012. The Play Development Team have exceeded all of the targets set during the 3.5 years the programme was in place and has been hailed a huge success. Northampton Borough Council, Northampton Leisure Trust and the County Sports Partnership have joined together to introduce Parkrun at the Racecourse every Saturday morning. Parkrun is a national initiative which provides weekly free 5km runs, and allows competitors to record their 5km times online and compare their times nationally.

Councillor Brandon Eldred Cabinet Member for Community Engagement Local Government Shared Services (LGSS)

Northampton Borough Council is in the early stages of negotiations with LGSS, the organisation set up to share services between Northamptonshire County Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, to explore the potential of joining the partnership.

LGSS was set up more than a year ago to provide a wide range of support services for both local authorities. Since the establishment of LGSS, the two founding authorities have saved £111 million and to join the partnership could pave the way for savings for Northampton Borough Council in administration and other back office costs.

LGSS provides a full range of back-office services, including IT, HR, finance, property and asset management and legal, and has proved that it can deliver cutting edge services in a way that enormously reduces costs and allows members to focus on frontline services.

Finance

We have now completed the financing for the buy out of the Housing Revenue account. The buy out was compulsory and as a result will mean the Council now self – finances its stock of social housing and retains the rental income collected each year. As we approach year-end we are preparing our financial management system for the production of the end of year statutory reports. These reports and other work completed during year-end will ensure we meet our statutory obligations. A meeting of Chief Finance Officers took place during the week commencing 26th March and discussed some of the Localisation reforms impacting on our financial management, and a meeting of councillors from across the county is also planned. In particular the localisation of Council Tax support, business rates retention and Council Tax discount reform were reviewed. Revenues and Benefits

During March the service successfully produced and dispatched year end Council Tax bills and benefit notifications, which involved the production and processing of over 100,000 documents. As we move towards year – end we will complete the final work required to closedown the 2011/12 financial year and prepare the system for 2012 / 13.

Work – loads within benefits increased in February and March, following the implementation of a new national system called ATLAS 2. We have already implemented the first phase of ATLAS, which saw changes to tax credits being loaded straight into our benefits system. The second phase picks up all changes to national benefits.

Duplication and early problems with the data being received requires a review in order to ascertain if a change is required. Improvements to the system are expected following the completion of year – end.

The next phase of our citizen account was completed at the beginning of March. This phase allows benefit recipients to review details of their claim online, and to review notifications electronically instead of receiving paper copies through the post. This is another step in offering the widest range of access channels to our customers and reducing costs for the Council.

We are continuing to contact and offer support to benefit recipients impacted by reductions in housing benefit. In March we sent further correspondence detailing the changes and highlighting where people need to come for help.

On 19th March a local resident was pleaded guilty at Northampton Magistrates Court to claiming over £4,000 in benefits she was not entitled to following an investigation by Northampton Borough Council's benefit fraud team. Northampton Borough Council will continue to take action against anyone who steals money intended to help the town's most vulnerable residents by cheating the system to get benefits they are not entitled to.

Facilities Management

The refurbishment of the Jeffrey Room has been completed. The new design and technology available in the Jeffrey Room will ensure that public and private meetings can run as smoothly and comfortably as possible.

Two events in March worthy of note were the visit of the Business Innovation and Skills Committee and the launch of Northampton Alive. The Councils facilities team successfully supported these high profile events. ICT

The Capital Project to upgrade Microsoft Office and Exchange has started. This is an essential upgrade to a critical piece of software which supports efficient services to our customers.

A trial of technology which supports Councillors and staff to securely access council e-mail and calendars from any smart phone has now finished. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and the business case recommends its roll-out to support more flexible working.

The Website improvement project is underway. The team are currently reviewing website content to ensure that it is focussed on the tasks and information that our customers most often need to access.

Councillor Alan Bottwood Cabinet Member for Finance Northampton Borough Council has secured nearly £150,000 from the new Preventing Repossessions Fund to help struggling homeowners. Northampton has received the 12th largest allocation in the country, which will be used to offer small interest-free loans of less than £5,000 to those at real risk of losing their homes, or grants to help ease debt pressures and give them a chance to get back on top of their finances. The right advice and support on managing debts is crucial for homeowners who are struggling financially, and this funding will be a lifeline to those who are facing the threat of having their homes repossessed.

Empty Homes Funding

The Council has been awarded £1.9m to bring 105 empty properties back into use as affordable housing. This was the 11th highest funding awarded in the country. The programme to deliver the 105 properties will happen in stages over a three-year period from April 2012 to March 2015. Properties need to meet the criteria of being privately owned and vacant for more than six months. There are currently around 900 properties that fall into this category in Northampton.

The council is currently identifying the 105 properties suitable for the scheme and these are likely to range from flats to family houses in different areas of Northampton. Once finished, rents will be set according to the government's new Affordable Homes programme at 80% of market rents, and the properties will be allocated to people with housing needs on the council's housing register.

Property Maintenance Operatives

Following a successful pilot of Personal Desktop Assistants (PDAs) the devices are to be rolled out to all housing operatives working in voids and repairs. Use of these devices will significantly reduce the amount of paper used as all jobs would be received and completed via the device, it will also enhance customer service as we will be able to communicate and reschedule works whilst the operatives are out in the field. The devices will reduce the need for the operatives to visit the depot as frequently, as they will be able to work direct from home, reducing lost time, mileage and fuel usage which will have a positive effect on environmental issues and also lower costs.

De-pooling

The rent notices for 2012/13 were sent out to all tenants and for the first time included details about the costs of the services they receive. Housing staff worked in partnership with Contact Centre staff to deal with the anticipated queries. Less than 50 queries were initially received but there will of course continue to be queries raised about the rent and service charges throughout the year.

**Tenancy Sustainment Contract**

In order to address low-level anti-social behaviour and other less serious breaches of tenancy conditions the Council has formally adopted a Tenancy Sustainment Contract, which is believed is the first of its kind. The contract will last for a period of 6 months but may be extended by mutual consent. It allows an achievable action plan to remedy the breach, formally recorded by the caseworker and monitored at agreed intervals. The contract is voluntary. If a tenant agrees to sign the contract then they are bound by its terms and understand that if the breach is not remedied then the Council reserve the right to commence legal proceedings. The contract can be used as evidence to demonstrate that we have attempted to work with the tenant. If the tenant refuses to sign the contract then similarly this can be used in evidence if necessary at a later date. The contract will be particularly beneficial for those tenants identified as vulnerable as it would allow for the tenant to commit to regular engagement with identified support services and to set out achievable actions aimed at remedying the breach, ensuring a greater likelihood of sustaining a tenancy that may have otherwise failed.

**Consultation**

There will be extensive consultation on a number of new and revised strategies and changes to policies such as allocations and homelessness as a result of the introduction of the Localism Act.

**Mary Markham** **Cabinet Member for Housing** Town Centre Operations

In February 2012, 12,627 visitors took advantage of the one-hour free parking in our pay-on-foot multi-story car parks an increase of 2.8% in comparison with January 2012. To date around 54,000 visitors/shoppers have taken advantage of the free parking offer.

The number of visitors and shoppers taking advantage of the reduced 1 & 2 hour parking in the Town centre increased by 11.8% (in excess of 6,000 vehicles) in comparison with 2011 parking figures.

The standardisation of car parks will be introduced by late May to enable all legislative processes to be undertaken in accordance with statutory requirements.

The council continues to work closely with market traders and local businesses around the market square to help promote and build the market and Town Centre as a venue for visitors and shoppers alike.

Market Advisory Group

Raymond Everall, a well known local businessman, has been appointed as the independent chair of the Market Advisory Group.

Northampton Town Centre Limited (BID)

The BID has signed an agreement with Northamptonshire Police to provide a PCSO with specific responsibility for the BID area and the Police will provide a second PCSO to match the BID’s investment. This agreement runs from 1st April 2012 – 31st March 2013 and will be reviewed on an annual basis.

The BID has partnered with the Northampton Retail Crime Initiative (NRCI) in joint funding two Town Centre Rangers to help businesses, support visitors & shoppers and provide a more welcoming experience to the town.

The BID will be supporting new projects and initiatives in the town centre including Northampton in Bloom, Safari Northampton, Christmas, refurbishing street furniture, enhanced cleaning, marketing & promotion as well working with the Borough and County Councils on local matters. High Street Innovation Fund

On 29th March the Government announced that Northampton would be one of nine towns and cities in the East Midlands to receive £100,000 of funding for high street improvements following the Portas Review. We are working with the BID and other partners to explore the best ways of using these funds.

St James Local Development Order

On 7th March Cabinet approved the creation of a Local Development Order for the St James area of the town. The Development Order will help simplify the planning process for businesses looking to build or upgrade facilities in St James, and is a key factor in making our Enterprise Zone a success.

Delapre Abbey

Members of the public were offered the rare opportunity to look inside the Delapre Abbey on 17th and 18th March as part of a bid by the Friends of Delapre Abbey to raise donations towards its restoration, which is being led by Northampton Borough Council with support from the Friends of Delapre Abbey and the Delapre Preservation Trust.

Bus Interchange

Work has started to prepare land around the site of the proposed new bus interchange that would allow for the future development of the land. Plans for the town’s new bus interchange are due to be submitted soon. A week long exhibition to show the public how the results of the previous consultation exercise influenced the design was held in the One Stop Shop during the week commencing 16th April.

If the Planning Application is approved, the Borough Council, County Council and WNDC will have the green light to start work on a brand new bus interchange starting in the late summer.

Northampton Arts Collective vacated the Fish Market site by the due date (31 March) to enable new bus interchange proposals to come forward, and they will move into their new premises in Guildhall Road shortly. We are grateful to NAC for their co-operation throughout the process.

Delapre Bell Tower and Clock

The historic belltower and clock at Delapre Abbey has now been lifted back into place on the roof of the stable block following a full restoration programme to put the clock back into working order for the first time in 20 years. The roofing work has been carried out by local company Moulton Roofing, while the restoration of the clock and wind vane has been undertaken by specialist company Smith of Derby. Delapre Abbey is Northampton Borough Council’s key heritage project and this on-going programme of work is intended to bring more of the building back into public use as well as to safeguard it for the future.

**Abington Park Lake**

Work to fix the footpath that circles the middle boating lake in Abington Park and underpin the concrete beam that provides its supporting surround began on 26th March. For almost two years a 40-metre stretch of the path has been fenced off because of subsidence due to fluctuating water levels that has washed away some of the material under the lakeside footpaths. The Environment Agency, which has been instructing Northampton Borough Council on the project, has said that now is the best time to undertake the work, and we will be working with the both the Environment Agency and contractors to make sure that disruption is kept to a minimum.

**Planning and Regeneration**

The proposed University student accommodation at St Johns received planning consent on 3rd April. Construction is expected to commence in June/July, with completion and occupation in January 2014. This will be the first major development on site in the Waterside Enterprise Zone which came into force officially on 1st April.

The Skateboard Park at Midsummer Meadow received planning consent on the 3rd April. Construction is expected to be completed in mid-August.

Two new neighbourhood planning projects have been granted front-runner status by DCLG for Spring Boroughs and Blackthorn Good Neighbours. These projects receive £20K each to enable them to work with the Council on neighbourhood planning.

The Stage 2 transfer of planning powers from WNDC was successfully completed on 31st March. NBC now has all its planning powers back from WNDC, but will continue to work closely with the Development Corporation on the regeneration of the Town Centre.

The Northampton Alive exhibition is to be held in the Great Hall during the week commencing 23rd April. The exhibition is to show the progress on the regeneration of the Town Centre, to provide more information about the individual projects. Officers will be on hand to answer questions and provide information. Presentations at residents groups, Forums and the University have been successful in showing the overall vision for the regeneration of the town centre.

The dedication of land for St John highways infrastructure has been exchanged with the County Council. Waterside Enterprise Zone

Three expressions of interest bids for the Growing Places Fund for Enterprise Zone infrastructure and development proposals have been agreed by the SEMLEP Board to be considered at final stage in the Spring.

A marketing advisor for the Enterprise Zone has been appointed. This is an important position as high quality marketing of the Enterprise Zone will be essential to ensure the required level of inward investment.

SEMELP received an additional £6m growing places funding from central government during March. NEP also received additional funds and we are working with both to maximise the benefit for Northampton.

Councillor Tim Hadland Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning